A former hotel manager has filed a federal lawsuit accusing Amerilodge Group CEO Asad Malik of sexually harassing and assaulting her during a company outing to a Justin Timberlake concert in Detroit earlier this year, and then retaliating against her when she reported the incident.
Stephanie Starling, who managed the Courtyard Marriott in Bay City, alleges Malik groped her and tried to force a kiss during the Feb. 20 concert at Little Caesars Arena.
While in the arena’s concession area, Malik told Starling that he wanted to kiss her and that he “bet it would be a good kiss too,” according to the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.
“Probably later tonight,” he added, saying he was “just looking at her lips” and thinking about the kiss, the lawsuit alleges.
Starling says Malik slid into a booth beside her and put his hands under her thigh and onto her butt.
Starling “was noticeably trembling in fear and her hand was shaking as she tried to eat,” the lawsuit states.
Starling fled to the bathroom with a coworker and avoided Malik during most of the concert. Afterward, she says Malik drove her to a dark area near a hotel and told her, “Time for that kiss,” according to the lawsuit. When she refused, Malik allegedly grew agitated and asked, “What do you mean you CAN’T?”
She threatened to walk back to the hotel in the snow if he didn’t return her, and Malik eventually relented, according to the lawsuit. Starling’s boyfriend drove from Bay City to pick her up.
Starling “cried the entire ride home and was unable to work the next day,” the lawsuit states.
Amerilodge Group is based in Bloomfield Hills and manages, operates, and owns hotels in Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio under the brands Hilton, Marriott, and InterContinental Hotel Group.
Starling reported Malik’s behavior to Amerilodge’s human resources director two days later. She was told the incident would be investigated confidentially by a neutral third party. Instead, the lawsuit alleges, the lawsuit was conducted by Amerilodge’s own defense attorneys and amounted to “a complete sham.”
The complaint says coworkers openly discussed her allegations despite assurances of confidentiality at work. On March 12, Starling’s company email was cut off after she told a supervisor she was overwhelmed by stress from the incident but had no plans to resign.
The following day, Amerilodge sent her an email saying it was “upholding [her] resignation.”
But, according to the lawsuit, “Starling never resigned.”
Instead, “she was terminated,” the complaint states.
On April 1, she was told investigators could not substantiate her claims and was offered money to waive her rights against Malik and Amerilodge, which she rejected. The law firm that carried out the investigation later represented Amerilodge in her Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filing, the lawsuit states.
Starling alleges sexual harassment, assault, battery, retaliation, and intentional infliction of emotional stress. She also contends other women had made similar allegations against Malik but were “silenced” by the company.
Schulz wrote in the complaint that Amerilodge “made a conscious effort to silence these women in an effort to protect a predator rather than to assure this horrendous conduct ends.”
Metro Times left a message for Amerilodge Group and is awaiting a response.
A Wayne County judge on Wednesday ordered the Detroit City Clerk’s Office to follow election transparency laws after a lawsuit alleged officials began processing and tabulating absentee ballots early without public notice.
Robert Davis, a citizen watchdog, filed the emergency lawsuit against the clerk’s office on Monday, alleging the city began processing and tabulating absentee ballots last week without taking the legal steps required to do so.
Davis says the case before Wayne County Circuit Court Chief Judge Patricia Fresard opens the door for mayoral and city council candidates who lost Tuesday’s primary election to demand a recount.
“It provides the unsuccessful candidates with an avenue to challenge the election results for their particular race,” Davis tells Metro Times.
Stopping short of ruling that the clerk’s office violated the law, Fresard ordered the city to confirm it will comply with the law going forward and asked Davis to “recommend what procedural changes need to go into effect in order to ensure transparency occurs in future elections,” he says.
In the lawsuit, Davis claimed the clerk’s office failed to publicly post the days that the ballots were being processed, how many were tabulated, and the names of the election inspectors. That’s important because election monitors and challengers have the right to be present during the process, but they “don’t know where and when it’s happening,” Davis says.
The Detroit Election Commission also failed to establish an absent voting counting board for each election day precinct in the city, Davis contends. In addition, the city council is mandated to approve the locations where the boards tabulate the ballots, but that never happened either, according to Davis’s lawsuit.
Davis reported the alleged violations to the Michigan Attorney General’s Office and Secretary of State’s Office, but neither would address the claims, he says. A spokesperson for the SOS Office counters that Davis requested an intervention the evening before he said he was going to file a lawsuit, not giving officials enough time to respond.
Beginning last year, state law began allowing clerks up to eight days before an election to process and tabulate absentee ballots to expedite a process that has delayed results by hours and even days. The process includes verifying the voter’s signature on the return envelope, opening it, and preparing the ballot for counting. But to process and tabulate absentee ballots early, state law requires clerks to follow steps that were ignored.
Metro Times couldn’t immediately reach the clerk’s office for comment.
Detroit City Council President Mary Sheffield and Rev. Solomon Kinloch Jr. were named the winners of Tuesday’s primary and are set for the general election in November.
Detroit City Council President Mary Sheffield received more than half the vote in Tuesday’s primary election.
Detroit City Council President Mary Sheffield and Rev. Solomon Kinloch Jr. will square off in the general election for mayor of Detroit after becoming the top two vote-getters in Tuesday’s primary.
Nonprofit CEO Saunteel Jenkins finished third with 16% of the votes, followed by attorney Todd Perkins at 5.4%, former Detroit Police Chief James Craig at 5.2%, and City Councilman Fred Durhal III at 3.4%.
Activist DaNetta Simpson, former businessman Joe Haashiim, and entrepreneur Danetta Lynese Simpson rounded out the bottom three, each receiving less than 1%.
If elected in November’s general election, Sheffield would become the first woman to serve as mayor since Detroit was incorporated in 1802.
At 26, Sheffield was first elected to city council in 2013. She has served as the council’s president since 2022. In her 12 years on the council, Sheffield has become a leading advocate for affordable housing, tenants rights, neighborhood development, property tax reform, and a clean environment. As council president, she has been a vocal critic of inequitable investment strategies, calling for a shift away from tax incentives for downtown developers and toward policies that directly benefit Detroit’s most vulnerable residents.
Kinloch, senior pastor of Triumph Church and graduate of Detroit’s Northwestern High School, portrays himself as a political outsider committed to addressing the decades-long inequalities in the city’s neighborhoods, arguing that Detroit’s economic comeback has left too many residents behind.
Kinloch’s platform includes building 10,000 affordable housing units, expanding workforce training, reducing poverty, and improving basic city services like trash pickup and emergency response. He has also pledged to bring more grocery stores to underserved areas. Raised in poverty and once a factory worker, Kinloch founded Triumph Church with a few dozen members and built it into one of the largest churches in the state, with campuses from Detroit to Genesee County.
Kinloch, who moved from the suburbs to Detroit about a year ago, has his work cut out for himself. In late July, Fox 2 Detroit revealed that he was convicted of beating his then-wife in 1993. According to court and police records, he hurled a glass at her, brandished a knife, and struck her in the back of the head with the weapon’s handle. Police found her bleeding from a cut on her hand and unable to walk because of her injuries.
Also on Tuesday, five city council seats were up for grabs. The races included both at-large seats, which represent the entire city, District 2 in the northernmost part of the city, District 5 just south of Hamtramck and Highland Park, and District 7 on the city’s west side.
Incumbents Mary Waters and Coleman Young II dominated the field of eight candidates in their bid to retain their at-large seats, each receiving nearly a third of the vote. Former City Councilwoman Janee’ L. Ayers and Detroit Fire Department community relations chief James Harris placed third and fourth, garnering 13.8% and 7.3% of the votes, respectively, and will advance to the general election.
In the District 2 race, incumbent Angela Whitfield Calloway placed first with 44.6% of the vote, followed by former District 2 Councilman Roy McCalister Jr. with 29.9%. Both candidates will advance to the general election.
For the District 5 seat, which Sheffield held, seven candidates faced off. The top two vote-getters were UAW retiree and founding member of the Detroit Historic Districts Alliance Renata Miller with 23.2% of the vote, and Detroit Police Commissioner Willie Burton with 19.4%. Both candidates move on to the general election.
In the District 7 race, four candidates were vying to replace Durhal, who ran for mayor. Progress Michigan Managing Director Denzel McCampbell narrowly finished first with 34.5% of the vote, followed by state Rep. Karen Whitsett with 33.9% of the vote. McCampbell and Whitsett will face off in the general election.
For nearly four decades in public office, Duggan has aligned himself with the Democratic Party. As a three-term mayor, he campaigned for presidential candidates Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, and Kamala Harris. At the Democratic National Convention in July 2016, Duggan slammed then-presidential candidate Donald Trump.
“Detroit is 18 months out of bankruptcy, something Donald Trump knows a little bit about. But unlike Donald Trump, Detroit is only going to do bankruptcy once,” Duggan said at the convention. Several months later, Duggan called Trump “the most phony party nominee that I have seen in my lifetime.”
When Metro Times asked Duggan’s campaign on Monday about his seemingly fluid position on Trump and the president’s attacks on people of color and the LGBTQ+ movement, a spokesperson referred us to the mayor’s recent comments to none other than conservative Detroit News columnist Nolan Finley. The campaign also deflected questions about Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” that cost Michigan more than $1 billion, forcing steep cuts to safety net programs like Medicaid and food assistance that support millions of lower-income residents.
“I haven’t changed any positions, other than that I think the toxic relationship between the two parties is badly damaging the state and we need a different approach to get Republicans and Democrats to work together,” Duggan told Finley. “But I haven’t changed my position on any issue.”
But a review of recent interviews and social media posts show Duggan disproportionately attacking Democrats, raising questions about the sincerity of his past statements and the truth of his current ones.
“The Democratic support is crumbling for them, and I know they’re a little upset, but people are fed up with this Democratic Party in Michigan,” Duggan said on CBS News recently, before repeating a criticism he wrote on social media. “They care about two things: They hate the Republicans in general, and they hate Trump in particular, and they don’t stand for anything else. And a lot of people are deciding they have had enough of it.”
When the CBS reporter, Major Garrett, asked how his agenda would differ from Republicans, Duggan deflected: “The Republicans and Democrats both share the blame.”
In the Duggan campaign’s latest post on X, the mayor wrote, “So this week, Democratic Party insiders are attacking us for taking donations from Republicans.”
“They’re mad the independent campaign is getting support from both parties,” he added. “We shouldn’t be surprised. It’s the same old partisan playbook. Demonize anyone who tries to bring Democrats and Republicans together.”
Regardless of his current rhetoric, Duggan can’t change what he’s said and done in the past. In July, less than six months before he began attacking Democrats, Duggan endorsed Harris and was in “deep campaign mode” for her. At the time, he slammed Trump.
“I spent four years with Donald Trump as president,” Duggan said. “There was no good relationship then. Basically we tried to keep our head down during that time. I think our starting point is, we need to elect a president who cares about this city and cares about this state. I remember he did the visit to the church in the campaign in 2016 and says, ‘I will help Detroit’s rebuilding.’ He got elected and never visited once in the next four years.”
In October 2024, when Duggan was campaigning for Harris, he criticized Trump for saying Detroit is more “developing” than “most places in China.”
Calling Trump’s memory “a little fuzzy,” Duggan said, “Since Donald Trump left office, the unemployment rate in Detroit is way down, the homicide rate is way down, and our population is growing for the first time since the 1950s.”
He added, “The best thing that happened in Detroit was when Donald Trump left office and Joe Biden and Kamala Harris came in and gave us real partners.”
“Are you here just to use Detroiters as props in a re-imaging campaign, or are you here to have a real conversation where you’re finally going to give us the specifics on what you’re going to do to make American cities better?” Duggan asked.
Duggan hosted several Democratic presidential candidates since he was mayor, calling Biden “the best friend Detroit ever had in the White House” and saying Harris was “a good friend.”
That doesn’t sound like someone tired of Democrats or what he alleges is their lack of principles beyond hating Republicans and Trump.
A year earlier, Duggan called Craig “maybe the best police chief in America.”
But when Craig announced he was running for governor as a Republican in September 2021, Duggan changed his tune. During the State of the City address in March 2022, Duggan tore into Craig, saying crime rose mercilessly during his last five months as chief. Crime didn’t begin to fall until Duggan hired Craig’s replacement, Chief James White, the mayor said at the time.
“The first five months of last year before we hired Chief White, it wasn’t good,” Duggan said, adding that Craig’s failure to develop and retain partnerships with law enforcement diminished the police department’s ability to fight violent crime.
“Chief White doesn’t attack the prosecutor or the judges or the Feds, and everybody works together,” Duggan said.
As Duggan runs as an independent, both Republicans and Democrats are calling bullshit. Republicans believe he’s still secretly a Democrat, while Democrats claim he’s selling out to Trump and his supporters.
“The more Michiganders see through Mike Duggan’s fake shtick and hear how he’s being bankrolled by the same people who funded Donald Trump, the more they come to see that he cannot be trusted,” Michigan Democratic Party spokesperson Derrick Honeyman said in a statement Tuesday. “Duggan can lash out all he wants — but Michiganders will continue to see his self-serving and shady motives.”
Scott Urbanowski, a Democrat from Kent County, said Duggan’s big donations from Republican powerbrokers and Trump megadonors sends a message that he has abandoned his base.
“Whatever their motivation for backing him, these conservatives are inadvertently making it clear: Mike Duggan doesn’t give a flying flamingo about working-class Michiganders like me,” Urbanowski wrote on Facebook.
In his column Saturday, Finley wrote, “I’ve lost count of the number of calls I’ve received from Republicans expressing their skepticism about Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan’s abandonment of the Democratic Party in making his 2026 run for Michigan governor.”
He added, “Many are convinced Duggan is cloaking himself in independence for political expediency, rather than making a sincere break with the Democratic Party he served his entire career.”
“Detroit Democrat Mike Duggan sat down for an interview this weekend, said he’s still a Democrat, clarified none of his positions changed but he’s putting an ‘I’ after his name in the hopes some Republicans are dumb enough to vote for him,” Hoffman wrote on X.
Duggan has adopted Republican talking points, including calling undocumented immigrants “illegal” in January while speaking to business leaders. When called out by pro-immigration groups, Duggan dismissed the criticism as “political correctness,” another term that conservatives have adopted.
So who is Duggan as he runs for governor? So far, it’s anyone’s guess.
Renowned DoD Advisor Joins to Advance Mission and Growth
DETROIT, May 21, 2025 (Newswire.com)
– Detroit Defense, a leading integrator of mission-critical defense technologies and platforms, today announced the appointment of Michael Bayer to its Board of Directors. Bayer, one of the nation’s most respected advisors on national security, aerospace, and energy, brings decades of senior government and industry experience to the company’s leadership team.
Bayer currently serves as Chairman Emeritus of the National Defense Industrial Association and has held key roles on nearly every major Department of Defense advisory board, including the Defense Science Board, the Army Science Board (as Chairman), the Defense Business Board (which he chaired three for three Secretaries of Defense,) and the Secretary of the Air Force Advisory Board (as Chairman). His leadership in strategic reviews and crisis response – from post-9/11 terrorism assessments to the Navy’s Cybersecurity and Strategic Readiness Reviews – has shaped U.S. defense policy for over 30 years.
“Michael’s extensive experience and unparalleled knowledge of national security will help us better serve and empower the warfighter at a time when agility and clarity of mission are more important than ever,” said Pete Roney, CEO of Detroit Defense. “His wisdom and leadership are unmatched, and we’re honored to welcome him to the team.”
Pierre Chao, Detroit Defense Board Chair and longtime defense strategist, added, “Having worked closely with Michael in The Pentagon on various reform and readiness initiatives, I know of no finer statesman to help guide Detroit Defense as we scale. His presence on the board underscores our commitment to integrity, mission focus, and innovation in support of national defense.”
Michael Bayer joins the Detroit Defense board as the company accelerates its growth across its core capability areas – platform integration, digital logistics, technical services, and integrated logistics – serving U.S. and allied military forces worldwide.
About Detroit Defense
At Detroit Defense, we ensure success for the DoD and its allies with innovative systems, technical services, integrated logistics support, and digital logistics solutions. Combining decades of engineering expertise with a mission-focused approach, we deliver systems and services that enhance readiness, extend platform life cycles, and enable data-driven decision dominance.
As an OEM-agnostic partner, we bring cutting-edge capability to any system – empowering forces with the capabilities of next, on the platforms of now.
Redefining Defense Solutions with Innovation, Agility, and a Relentless Focus on Mission Readiness
DETROIT, May 19, 2025 (Newswire.com)
– Ricardo Defense today unveiled its new name and brand identity: Detroit Defense, marking a bold new chapter in the company’s evolution as a modern, agile leader in defense innovation, systems integration, and digital logistics.
The rebrand reflects more than geography. It represents a mindset – one rooted in Detroit’s industrial legacy, but firmly oriented toward the future fight. While proud of its historical ties to the Arsenal of Democracy, Detroit Defense is defined by what comes next: enabling mission success with innovation, speed, and readiness in every solution delivered.
“Detroit Defense represents who we are and where we’re headed,” said Pete Roney, CEO of Detroit Defense and Co-Founder of Proteus Enterprises. “We’re not just based in Detroit – we’re built by it. And we’re applying that same spirit of creativity, grit, and urgency to meet the evolving needs of our customers. When the mission demands it, we deliver it.”
The name change follows the December 2024 acquisition of Ricardo Defense by Proteus Enterprises LLC and Gladstone Investment Corporation. That strategic shift has empowered Detroit Defense to expand its capabilities and accelerate delivery of advanced, integrated solutions that enhance readiness and support decision dominance across domains.
Pierre Chao, Co-Founder of Proteus Enterprises and Detroit Defense Board Chairman added, “Having worked across the Pentagon and industry for decades, I can say with confidence there’s no team better equipped to solve the urgent challenges our warfighters face. Detroit Defense brings together deep engineering roots, modern agility, and a relentless commitment to mission success. This brand marks the beginning of something bold – and overdue – in the defense sector.”
Detroit Defense will continue providing proven capabilities like the ABS/ESC retrofit kits that have increased survivability for thousands of U.S. Army HMMWVs. Building on that foundation, the company is scaling its impact in digital logistics, intelligent sustainment, and legacy system modernization – solving integration challenges others can’t, and fielding next-gen capabilities that keep warfighters ready for whatever comes next.
About Detroit Defense
At Detroit Defense, we ensure success for the DoD and its allies with innovative systems, technical services, and integrated logistics for any military system. Combining decades of engineering expertise with a mission-focused approach, we deliver systems and services that enhance readiness, extend platform life cycles, and enable data-driven decision dominance.
As an OEM-agnostic partner, we bring cutting-edge capability to legacy systems – empowering forces with the capabilities of next, on the platforms of now.
Detroit Defense. Behind the Mission. Beyond the Challenge.
You might be weighing an apartment in downtown Chicago or a historic home in Detroit, as both cities offer rich histories and evolving urban landscapes. Chicago is known for its skyline, diverse economy, and iconic cultural scene, while Detroit is gaining momentum with its affordability and revitalized neighborhoods. Whether you’re drawn to Chicago’s busy streets or Detroit’s comeback story, choosing your next home is a significant decision.
From real estate costs and employment prospects to living expenses and community vibes, there are many factors to consider. In this Redfin article, we’ll explore the differences to help you determine which city is the right fit for your next home purchase.
Housing in Chicago vs Detroit
Chicago and Detroit present two distinct real estate landscapes, with Chicago offering a blend of urban condos and suburban homes, while Detroit’s revitalized neighborhoods bring affordable options to the table.
Housing in Chicago
Chicago’s housing market offers a balance between urban high-rises and spacious suburban homes. Buyers can choose from sleek condos in the heart of the city or homes in areas like Hyde Park or Lincoln Park. Chicago’s housing offers more space compared to NYC, with a variety of options to fit different lifestyles.
Median home cost: The median home sale price in Chicago is around $360,000, offering more affordable housing compared to major metropolitan areas, especially in neighborhoods just outside of downtown.
Average rental cost: Renting an apartment in Chicago averages around $2,202 per month, making it a more affordable option compared to many other large cities, with prime locations like River North and the Loop attracting higher rates.
Housing in Detroit
Detroit’s real estate market is known for its affordability and growing investment potential. Buyers will find a wide selection of historic homes in areas like Boston-Edison or modern developments in the downtown area. Detroit’s ongoing revitalization efforts have created a unique blend of historic charm and new housing opportunities.
Median home cost: The median home sale price in Detroit is around $91,500, making it one of the most affordable cities in the U.S., with significant potential for growth.
Average rental cost: The average rent in Detroit is approximately $1,680 per month, providing highly affordable living options compared to other major cities.
Cost of living in Chicago vs Detroit
Chicago’s overall cost of living is about 10% higher than Detroit’s, driven mainly by differences in housing, utilities, and lifestyle expenses. Let’s break down the key areas that contribute to these differences:
1. Utilities:
While Chicago’s utilities are approximately 3% lower than Detroit’s, the city’s colder winters result in higher heating costs. On the flip side, Detroit benefits from slightly lower utility rates, especially for electricity and water.
2. Groceries:
Groceries in Chicago cost about 1% more than in Detroit. Chicago’s larger population and demand for a wider variety of products drive up prices. In contrast, Detroit’s proximity to local agriculture and lower overall cost of living helps keep grocery prices down.
3. Transportation:
Chicago’s transportation costs are 4% higher than Detroit’s. Although Chicago has a more extensive public transportation network, it also comes with higher fares. Detroit’s car-centric infrastructure is generally more affordable, though parking and driving in Chicago can significantly increase transportation expenses.
4. Healthcare:
Healthcare costs are about the same in both cities. While Chicago boasts more specialized medical facilities, its healthcare costs are balanced out by Detroit’s more affordable options.
5. Lifestyle:
Surprisingly, lifestyle expenses in Chicago are 5% lower than in Detroit. While Chicago offers a rich arts and entertainment scene, it tends to be pricier. Detroit, though still developing, provides more affordable cultural and lifestyle experiences.
Chicago vs Detroit in size and population
Chicago and Detroit, two iconic Midwestern cities, differ significantly in size and population. Chicago spans 227 square miles with a population of 2.7 million, making it one of the largest and densest cities in the U.S. Its urban core and expansive suburbs provide a mix of city life and quieter residential areas. Detroit, while smaller at 142 square miles and home to roughly 639,000 residents, is in the midst of a revitalization. Detroit’s population density is much lower, and its neighborhoods are more spread out, but the city is gaining momentum with new development and cultural growth, offering more space and affordability compared to Chicago’s busier urban atmosphere.
Weather and climate in Chicago vs Detroit
Both Chicago’s climate and Detroit’s climate experience all four seasons, but Chicago’s winters are harsher due to its location near Lake Michigan, which intensifies the cold and brings heavy snowfall. The “lake effect” creates biting winds and significant snow accumulation, making winter conditions more extreme compared to Detroit. Detroit, though still cold and snowy, generally experiences less severe winter weather. Summers in both cities are warm and humid, with Chicago benefiting from breezy conditions due to its lakeside location. Both cities face occasional thunderstorms, with Detroit also prone to tornadoes, while Chicago’s weather is more influenced by lake-driven patterns.
The job market in Chicago vs Detroit
Chicago: A diverse economy led by finance, manufacturing, and healthcare
Chicago’s job market thrives on its diverse mix of finance, manufacturing, and healthcare industries, cementing its status as an economic powerhouse in the Midwest. The city has an employment rate of 64% and a median household income of $74,000. With an average hourly wage of $33.41, Chicago offers competitive earnings, especially considering its lower cost of living compared to NYC. The finance industry, led by the Chicago Board of Trade, and a growing tech sector, alongside healthcare institutions like Northwestern Memorial Hospital, provide ample job opportunities. Chicago’s broad economic base makes it a stable and attractive city for professionals across a wide range of industries.
Detroit: Revitalized manufacturing and emerging tech
Detroit’s job market, historically known for its auto industry, is experiencing a resurgence, driven by revitalized manufacturing and an emerging tech scene. The city’s employment rate is around 49%, with a median household income of $38,000. The average hourly wage is $30.94, reflecting Detroit’s more affordable cost of living. Major employers like General Motors and Ford continue to dominate the manufacturing sector, while new tech startups are making their mark in the city’s growing innovation ecosystem. Healthcare also plays a significant role, with institutions like Henry Ford Health System providing steady employment. Detroit’s ongoing recovery makes it an evolving market with growing opportunities for job seekers.
Transportation in Chicago vs Detroit
Chicago: Extensive public transit and car-friendly
Chicago offers an extensive public transportation system, with the CTA’s “L” trains and bus routes providing easy access across the city. Many residents rely on public transit, particularly in the downtown area, which is highly walkable. The Divvy bike-share program has also made biking more accessible. While public transit is widely used, driving is more feasible in Chicago than in cities like NYC, with more available parking and wider streets, making car ownership a practical option for many residents.
Detroit: Car-centric with limited transit
Detroit remains a car-centric city, with most residents depending on personal vehicles for commuting. Public transportation options, while available, are more limited compared to cities like Chicago. The Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT) offers bus services, but the city lacks an extensive rail network. As the city continues to revitalize, walkability is improving in some neighborhoods, and the MoGo bike-share program is gaining popularity. However, driving remains the primary mode of transportation for most Detroiters.
Lifestyle and things to do in Chicago and Detroit
A day in the life of a Chicagoan
Living in Chicago offers a blend of bustling urban life and midwestern charm, with each neighborhood contributing its own distinct feel. Mornings might begin with a stroll through one of the many local coffee shops in Lincoln Park or Wicker Park before heading to work in the Loop. Weekends in Chicago are filled with outdoor activities along Lake Michigan, exploring cultural festivals, or catching a game at Wrigley Field. The city’s rich architectural history, renowned museums, and vibrant theater scene keep residents constantly engaged. For music lovers, the city’s deep jazz and blues roots offer plenty of live performances, while foodies can indulge in everything from deep-dish pizza to upscale dining.
Top things to do in Chicago:
Google Street View of the Field Museum
Chicago parks and outdoor activities:
Google Street View of Grant Park
Chicago tourist attractions:
Willis Tower Skydeck
Navy Pier
Millennium Park
Lincoln Park Zoo
Chicago Riverwalk
A day in the life of a Detroiter
Living in Detroit offers a mix of historic charm and a spirit of revitalization. Mornings might start with coffee at a local café in Midtown or Corktown before heading downtown to work. Detroit’s automotive history is ever-present, but the city is evolving with a growing arts scene and new industries. Weekends often include visiting Eastern Market, catching a Tigers game, or exploring Detroit’s art museums. The city’s revitalized waterfront and green spaces provide ample opportunities for outdoor activities, while music lovers can dive into Detroit’s legendary Motown and techno music heritage.
Top things to do in Detroit:
Google Street View of Detroit Institute of Arts
Detroit parks and outdoor activities:
Google Street View of Belle Isle Park
Detroit tourist attractions:
The Henry Ford Museum
Belle Isle Aquarium
Detroit Historical Museum
Campus Martius Park
Detroit Opera House
Food and culture in Chicago vs Detroit
Chicago: The Windy City
Chicago, known as “The Windy City,” is a food lover’s paradise with its hearty and diverse culinary scene. While iconic deep-dish pizza, Chicago-style hot dogs, and Italian beef sandwiches are what most people think of, the city’s food offerings are far more expansive. From upscale dining experiences in the West Loop to Mexican cuisine in Pilsen, every neighborhood brings a unique flavor to the table. Chicago’s cultural landscape is just as rich, with major festivals like the Taste of Chicago and the Chicago Blues Festival attracting crowds for food, music, and entertainment. The city is also a beacon for arts and live performances, with its renowned theaters and jazz clubs offering a cultural experience that rivals any major city.
Detroit: The Motor City
Detroit’s culinary scene is gaining momentum as the city undergoes a cultural revival. Known for its Coney dogs, Detroit-style pizza, and soul food, the city’s rich food traditions are rooted in its history but continue to evolve with the influx of new restaurants and chefs. Eastern Market, one of the largest public markets in the U.S., offers a taste of the city’s farm-to-table culture, while innovative eateries are popping up in Midtown and Corktown. Detroit’s culture extends beyond food, with a strong focus on music, particularly Motown and techno, which were born in the city. With growing arts districts, the Detroit Institute of Arts, and historic music venues, Detroit is a city that offers a deep and evolving cultural experience.
Chicago vs Detroit sports scene
Chicago: Basketball and baseball passion
Chicago’s sports culture runs deep, with a focus on basketball and baseball. The Bulls and Cubs are cornerstone teams that ignite the city’s enthusiasm, and their iconic venues, the United Center and Wrigley Field, are packed with devoted fans during game days. Football also plays a major role in Chicago’s sports identity, as the Bears unite the city each season at Soldier Field. Hockey has a strong presence as well, with the Blackhawks boasting a storied history and passionate following.
Detroit: Auto city sports and rebuilding spirit
Detroit’s sports scene reflects the city’s resilience and rich history, with teams that have been part of the city’s identity for decades. The Detroit Lions in football and the Red Wings in hockey are among the city’s most beloved teams, with Ford Field and Little Caesars Arena providing a home for loyal fans. The Tigers and Pistons are also integral to the local sports culture, with Comerica Park drawing baseball fans downtown. While Detroit’s teams have experienced ups and downs, the city’s fanbase remains dedicated, embodying the spirit of a city constantly rebuilding and evolving.
Just days after Vice President Kamala Harris claimed that any suggestion that the country “would turn into Detroit” if she wins is essentially a racist dog whistle, rap artist Lizzo said the exact same thing.
Yes Lizzo, Melissa Viviane Jefferson, dropped what can best be described as some accidental truth. Because accidental is the only kind of truth you’ll ever get out of the left.
“I’m so proud to be from this city, you know they say if Kamala wins then the whole country will be like Detroit,” the “Truth Hurts” singer declared.
“Proud like Detroit, resilient like Detroit. The same Detroit that innovated the auto industry and the music industry. Put some respect on Detroit’s name.”
Detroit is consistently ranked among the top 5 most dangerous cities in the United States based on crime data. Crime rates are higher than the national average, especially for violent crimes like homicide, assault, and robbery. The successes mentioned by Lizzo happened well over half a century ago.
Detroit is a cesspool of failed liberal experimentation. Now, as Lizzo states, Harris wants to bring that blight nationwide.
Hard pass.
Lizzo says “if Kamala wins then the whole country will look like Detroit”
I’m from South Africa, (one of the highest crime rates in the world) & I’ve never been robbed on tour. I was in Detroit last year & our tour van was robbed TWICE in one night 🤣pic.twitter.com/j8CXJgbrPk
Kamala Thinks Saying America Is Going To Turn Into Detroit Is Racist
Lizzo’s comments about Kamala Harris turning the entire country into Detroit wouldn’t be nearly as hilarious as they are if not for the fact that the Democrat candidate for President recently indicated anybody who says such things is racist.
Or maybe it’s just because Trump said it that makes it so racist.
“The whole country is going to be like, you want to know the truth? It’ll be like Detroit. Our whole country will end up being like Detroit if she’s your president. You’re going to have a mess on your hands,” he predicted.
Harris sat down with former CNN contributor Roland Martin for a live-streamed interview last week where they discussed those very comments.
The Veep delivered another one of her signature word salads in response:
“Yes, yes, yes. I- I- you know, there’s this whole – I talked with somebody once who said, ‘You know, if you just look at where the- the- the stars are in the sky. Don’t look at them as just random things, look at them as points. Look at the constellation, what does it show you.’”
That’s when she turned the Detroit criticism and general observation that cities run by Democrats are garbage into a racially driven commentary.
“You just outlined it Roland, what does it show you?” she asked after making the constellation analogy. “That the cities that he picks on in terms of black population or black mayor or both. C’mon.”
I Guess Lizzo’s stars are creating a constellation of racism too then.
NEW: Kamala Harris gives an astrology lesson during an interview with show host Roland S. Martin in North Carolina.
Brilliant.
“You know, there’s this whole, I, I talked with somebody once who said, you know, if you just look at where the, the, the stars are in the sky. Don’t… pic.twitter.com/4I0hVxuCd5
Prior to flying out to Detroit to stump for Kamala Harris, Lizzo was showing off her fossil fuel-guzzling private jet and declaring she was a “bad […]” ready to “save democracy”.
Which, incidentally, is the same thing Adam Kinzinger calls himself when looking in the mirror every morning before he throws on his little J6 boxers and starts his day.
“This is how a bad […] saves democracy. You ho’s couldn’t even spell democracy,” she said. As to who the “ho’s” are, she wasn’t specific.
Lizzo’s grasp of the English language though is tenuous at best. As is her grasp on decorum. And decency. Rational thoughts. Intelligence. Etc.
Here she is playing a 200-year-old crystal flute once owned by Founding Father James Madison during a concert in DC while wearing a skimpy bodysuit and “twerking.”
Ever the gifted orator, Lizzo, who is a classically trained flutist, played a few notes and exclaimed, “[…] I just twerked and played James Madison’s flute from the 1800s.”
NOBODY HAS EVER HEARD THIS FAMOUS CRYSTAL FLUTE BEFORE
Vice President Kamala Harris turned to star power Saturday on the campaign trail, as she held events with musicians Lizzo and Usher in Michigan and Georgia, while former President Donald Trump rallied in the crucial battleground state of Pennsylvania.
At a rally in Atlanta, Harris said that Trump was “cruel” for how he talked about the grieving family of a Georgia mother who died after waiting 20 hours for a hospital to treat her complications from an abortion pill, as she put combating restrictions on reproductive care at the center of her pitch to voters.
Harris blamed Amber Thurman’s death on Georgia’s abortion restrictions that took effect after the Supreme Court in 2022, with three Trump-appointed justices, overturned Roe v. Wade. It comes as Harris is looking to the issue to propel support to Democrats, who have pledged to restore a national right to abortion if they win the White House and enough seats in Congress.
“Donald Trump still refuses to take accountability, to take any accountability, for the pain and the suffering he has caused,” Harris said.
Thurman’s story features at the center of one of Harris’ closing campaign ads, and her family attended her Atlanta rally, with her mother holding a photo of her daughter from the audience. Harris showed a clip of Trump saying during a recent Fox News Channel town hall, when he was asked about the Thurman family joining a separate media call, “We’ll get better ratings, I promise.”
Early voting is also underway in Georgia. More than 1.2 million ballots have been cast, either in person or by mail. Democrats hope an expansive organizing effort will boost Harris against Trump in the campaign’s final weeks. Harris referenced that former President Jimmy Carter recently voted by mail days after his 100th birthday.
“If Jimmy Carter can vote early, you can too,” Harris said.
Harris was joined at the rally by hometown music icon Usher, drawing again on star power as she looks to excite voters to the polls. Earlier Saturday she appeared with Lizzo in the singer’s hometown of Detroit, marking the beginning of in-person voting and lavishing the city with praise after Trump recently disparaged it.
“All the best things were made in Detroit. Coney Dogs, Faygo and Lizzo,” the singer joked to a rally crowd, pointing to herself after listing off the hot dogs and soda that the city is famous for.
Heaps of praise for the Motor City came after Trump insulted it during a recent campaign stop. And Harris continued the theme, saying of her campaign, “Like the people of Detroit, we have grit, we have excellence, we have history.”
More than 1 million Michigan residents have already voted by mail in the Nov. 5 election, and Harris predicted that Detroit turnout for early voting would be strong.
She slammed Trump as unstable: “Somebody just needs to watch his rallies, if you’re not really sure how to vote.”
“We’re not going to get these 17 days back. On Election Day, we don’t want to have any regrets,” the vice president said.
Lizzo also told the crowd, “Mrs. Commander-in-Chief has a nice ring to it.”
“This is the swing state of all swing states, so every last vote here counts,” the singer said. Then, referencing her song of the same title, Lizzo added, “If you ask me if America is ready for its first woman president, I only have one thing to say: “It’s about damn time!”
Meanwhile, Trump’s campaign had suggested he would begin previewing his closing argument Saturday night with Election Day barely two weeks away. But the former president kicked off his rally with a detailed story about Arnold Palmer, at one point even praising the late, legendary golfer’s genitalia.
Trump was campaigning in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, where Palmer was born in 1929 and learned to golf from his father, who suffered from polio and was head pro and greenskeeper at the local country club.
Politicians saluting Palmer in his hometown is nothing new. But Trump spent 12 full minutes doing so at the top of his speech and even suggested how much more fun the night would be if Palmer, who died in 2016, could join him on stage.
“Arnold Palmer was all man, and I say that in all due respect to women,” Trump said. “This is a guy that was all man.”
Then he went even further.
“When he took the showers with other pros, they came out of there. They said, ‘Oh my God. That’s unbelievable,’” Trump said with a laugh. “I had to say. We have women that are highly sophisticated here, but they used to look at Arnold as a man.”
Trump senior adviser Jason Miller told reporters before the speech that Trump planned to preview his closing argument against Harris and “start to get into that framing.”
Trump eventually hit many of his favorite campaign themes but didn’t offer much in the way of new framing of the race or why he should win it. He instead boasted of creating strong tax policies and a strong military during his first term in office.
He slammed Harris as “crazy” and added a profanity.
“You have to tell Kamala Harris that you’ve had enough, that you just can’t take it anymore, we can’t stand you anymore, you’re a s— vice president,” Trump said to roars of the crowd. “The worst. You’re the worst vice president. Kamala, you’re fired. Get the hell out of here.”
He also criticized Harris for suggesting during her unsuccessful run for president in 2020 that she’d support a ban on hydraulic fracking, which is important to Pennsylvania’s economy and a position Harris’ campaign says she no longer supports.
Trump invited on stage members of a local steelworkers union that endorsed him. He donned a construction hat with his name on it.
“He said, ‘It’s incredible what’s happened,’” Trump said of the Netanyahu call before moving to a criticism of President Joe Biden, saying that the Israeli prime minister “wouldn’t listen to Biden.”
With just 23 days left until election day and voters already casting ballots, former President Trump rallied supporters in the California desert while railing against the state’s Democratic leadership, notably his presidential rival, Vice President Kamala Harris.
Trump blasted California as having “the highest inflation, the highest taxes, the highest gas prices, the highest cost of living, the most regulations, the most expensive utilities, the most homelessness, the most crime, the most decay and the most illegal aliens.”
“Other than that, you’re doing quite well, actually,” Trump said. “We’re not going to let Kamala Harris do to America what she did to California.”
Trump painted California as a lawless, dystopian state, and at times correctly touched on the economic struggles faced by many residents. But his comments also were peppered with distortions and falsehoods, including his claim that California has brownouts and blackouts “every day,” presumably because of power shortages.
The former president spoke shortly after 5 p.m. on a polo field at Calhoun Ranch, just outside the city of Coachella, but supporters lined up hours earlier in the scorching desert heat to attend.
Trump stands before supporters at the rally at Calhoun Ranch.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
As they spent hours in temperatures that reached 100 degrees, they sought shade in the few spots they could, and large tanks of ice quickly emptied as attendees grabbed fistfuls of cubes to put under their hats or fill water bottles. Multiple medical emergencies occurred during the rally.
“Welcome to Trumpchella!” said state GOP Chairwoman Jessica Millan Patterson, one of the warm-up speakers for Trump.
Trump’s visit to the home state of Harris offers him another chance to bash the liberal policies of the Bay Area native as well as California itself — one of his favorite refrains on the campaign trail. Harris served as San Francisco’s district attorney before she was elected as California’s attorney general and to the U.S. Senate.
And the Coachella Valley, home to a thriving agricultural industry and a large population of Latino farmworkers, provides a backdrop for Trump to highlight the region’s water and agricultural needs, as well as immigration. Latinos constitute almost 98% of Coachella, according to U.S. Census Bureau data.
Deriding California as a “sanctuary state” for immigrants as he spoke to thousands of supporters, Trump said, “The people of California are not going to take it any longer.”
He repeatedly tied immigrants — many of whom, he said, come from “dungeons of the Third World” — to criminal activity, though studies show that immigrants commit crimes at lower levels than U.S.-born residents. He blasted Harris, whom President Biden tasked with addressing the root causes of immigration from three nations in Central America, as a failed “border czar.”
“Kamala Harris got you into this mess and only Trump will get you out of it,” he said.
Trump criticized California as being horribly mismanaged, primarily blaming Harris and Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, especially when it comes to crime, the high cost of living and water policy. The former president also threatened to cut off federal disaster aid for the state’s devastating wildfires if California’s leaders don’t make more water available to farmers and homeowners.
“We’re going to take care of your water situation, force it down his throat, and we’ll say: Gavin, if you don’t do it, we’re not giving any of that fire money that we send you all the time for all the fire, forest fires that you have,” Trump said.
Donning his red “Make America Great Again” hat to guard against the beating desert sun, Trump encouraged the crowd to vote in large numbers, to make the election “too big to rig.” He has repeatedly denied losing the 2020 election. “They are good at one thing. Which one thing?” he asked the crowd. “Cheating!” the crowd roared back.
Trump also turned his ire against Rep. Adam B. Schiff (D-Burbank), the front-runner in California’s U.S. Senate race who led a successful House impeachment of Trump, before the Senate acquitted him. Trump called him “one of the least attractive human beings” and insulted the size of Schiff’s neck and head.
Rep. Raul Ruiz (D-Indio) said that the “Coachella Valley is known for being a presidential playground,” noting that Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) campaigned in the valley, former President Obama came to golf, and Presidents Ford and Eisenhower retired in the region. Still, he called Trump’s decision to visit Coachella — in one of the bluest states in the country — “baffling.”
Trump addresses the crowd Saturday.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
“We are familiar with having presidents come and leave a mark here, and we respect and love them. … But ex-President Trump is different,” Ruiz said on a call from Coachella Valley, where he was spending the day talking to reporters. “There doesn’t seem to be a lot of respect for the demographics that live here — not just in his vile rhetoric but also in his policies.”
The rally venue is just outside the 41st Congressional District, where Democrat Will Rollins, a former federal prosecutor, is challenging Republican Rep. Ken Calvert, who spoke at the rally. The race will be crucial in determining which party wins control of the House.
“Welcome Trump,” Calvert told the rally crowd. “Show him some sanity still exists in California, and it’s right here in Riverside County.”
Other speakers included Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, an ardent Trump ally, and Dennis Quaid, the actor who recently portrayed President Reagan in his namesake movie.
Mary and Pete Venegas drove more than an hour from their Hemet home to see Trump, for whom they both plan to vote for the first time in November.
Mary Venegas, a former Democrat who sat out the 2020 election because she was unenthusiastic about Biden, said Trump deserves “a second chance.” Wearing a red Trump T-shirt, she said she is now a registered Republican.
“He made me do it,” she said, laughing, as she poked her husband, who runs a construction and landscaping business and said he supports Trump because of his business acumen.
The visit marks Trump’s second trip to the Golden State in a month, after making a stop to talk to reporters at his Rancho Palos Verdes golf course in September sandwiched between two high-dollar fundraisers in Beverly Hills and the Bay Area.
California GOP strategists granted anonymity to discuss the former president’s motivation said it included the notion that he wanted to increase his share of the popular vote — and despite California’s Democratic tilt, it is home to more than 5 million registered Republicans.
Trump has announced that he will hold an Oct. 27 rally at Madison Square Garden in New York, another deeply Democratic state.
At Saturday’s rally, mentions of Harris and Newsom from Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, who was a delegate at the Republican National Committee, drew boos from the audience.
“The downfall of public safety in California began over a decade ago with Gavin Newsom’s policies, and ideas under the watch of Atty. Gen. Kamala Harris,” Bianco said, mentioning Proposition 47, a state ballot initiative that reduced certain thefts and crimes to misdemeanors.
Though Proposition 47 was put in place under Harris’ watch, she declined to wade into the political debate as attorney general. California voters will decide whether to roll back some of the 2014 measure when voting on Proposition 36 next month.
Trump held a rally in Aurora, Colo., on Friday — a state he lost by more than 13 points in 2020. He has falsely claimed that Aurora had been taken over by Venezuelan gang members. He also paid a visit Friday night to Nevada.
Trump acknowledges supporters’ cheers.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
During Saturday’s rally, Trump mentioned a new immigration policy, dubbed “Operation Aurora,” that he announced during Friday’s visit to expedite deportation of immigrant gang members. He also called for the death penalty for any immigrant who kills an American citizen or law enforcement officer, a proposal that drew chants of “USA!” from the audience.
On Thursday, while speaking at the Detroit Economic Club, he insulted the city and warned that the situation in Detroit foreshadowed what would happen to the nation if Harris is elected president.
“Our whole country will end up being like Detroit if she’s elected president,” Trump said. “We’re not going to let her do that to this country. We’re not gonna let it happen.”
Democrats in Michigan — one of the states likely to determine which party wins the White House — were apoplectic.
“Detroit is the epitome of ‘grit,’ defined by winners willing to get their hands dirty to build up their city and create their communities — something Donald Trump could never understand,” Gov. Gretchen Whitmer wrote on X, the social media site formerly known as Twitter. “So keep Detroit out of your mouth. And you better believe Detroiters won’t forget this in November.”
Republicans from the state were stunned by Trump’s remarks as well.
“Michiganders haven’t been this proud of the city of Detroit since Henry Ford put the world on wheels. The Lions and Tigers are flying high, the city has come back to life, and in comes Donald Trump to crap all over that progress,” said an exasperated GOP strategist who reached out to a Times reporter after hearing the remarks, and was granted anonymity to speak candidly. “I think he shouldn’t be surprised when they reward his comments by giving Kamala Harris their votes. And it won’t just be Detroit residents. It will be hundreds of thousands of voters who are deeply proud of their city.”
Trump exits the stage after the rally.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
Harris said Trump’s remarks about Detroit represent a trend.
“My opponent, Donald Trump, yet again, has trashed another great American city when he was in Detroit, which is just a further piece of evidence on a very long list of why he is unfit to be president of the United States,” Harris told reporters Thursday in Las Vegas.
Trump similarly criticized Milwaukee in a meeting with House Republicans shortly before the Republican National Convention was held there, in the battleground state of Wisconsin, earlier this year. He has also disparaged Philadelphia and Atlanta, both of which are in states that will determine which party wins the White House.
A former Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT) bus driver who was involved in 19 crashes during her career was sentenced to at least six months in jail Thursday after killing a pedestrian as she crossed a downtown street in June 2023.
Geraldine Johnson, who had been involved in another fatal bus accident in 2015, received a one-year jail sentence and two years of probation from 36th District Court Judge Lynise Bryant.
The 61-year-old woman pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge of moving violation causing death on Aug. 26.
Johnson is required to serve the first six months in the Wayne County Jail, and the remainder can be spent outside of jail as long as she adheres to the conditions of her probation.
Janice Bauer, 67, of Grosse Pointe Park, was walking across the street at a crosswalk near Griswold Street and West Congress when the bus driven by Johnson slammed into her.
“This case is tragic on every level. Janice Bauer lost her life,” Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said in a written statement. “The alleged facts are that defendant, Geraldine Johnson, literally ran her over with the city bus she was driving and caused her death.”
In April 2015, Johnson also fatally plowed into passenger Joey Davis while he was removing his bicycle from a rack at the front of the bus. His family settled a lawsuit against the city for $4.5 million.
Bauer’s family also filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the city. The case is still in court.
Johnson worked as a bus driver for 26 years.
The city said it was unable to fire Johnson because of a clause in the bus driver’s union contract, which bars discipline for employees who have been off the job for more than 18 months. After the 2015 fatal crash, Johnson was on medical leave for two years.
A century’s worth of Black film, art, literature, music, and cultural history tucked away in a warehouse just outside of Detroit will soon be shared with the public.
Collected by late Detroiter James E. Wheeler, the extensive archive of over 40,000 artifacts from the 1910s and beyond includes books, vintage posters, lobby cards, vinyl records, photographs, magazines, and more.
After his passing in 2022, Wheeler’s children Alima Wheeler Trapp and Ali J. Wheeler have stepped up with dreams of making their father’s archives accessible to the world.
“We talk about this as a responsibility and a privilege,” Alima says. “Our father committed his life to building this work, and it was very important to him. We want to continue that vision. My brother and I both have sons and the goal is that this is generational. This is a legacy that started with him that we can maximize.”
James E. Wheeler at his desk in 1986, surrounded by vintage Black film posters.
Alima and Ali founded The Black Canon in 2019, inspired by the definition of canon — a body of influential works in music, literature, or art. Through their parent company and its newer nonprofit arm The Black Canon Collection, they are working to preserve and share their father’s collection.
According to the family, The James E. Wheeler Collection “represents one of the largest Black film and memorabilia collections in the world.”
On October 13, the siblings will host Art of the Ages, a curated exhibition from the collection and inaugural fundraiser featuring brunch, cocktails, a panel discussion, and more. The event will be held at Taylor’d Garden in Livonia, in collaboration with local artists and organizations.
“This, we do feel, is one of the greatest collections never heard of,” Alima says. “I think we have something very special and I think that it should be important to the community … I just feel like this should be a gem of the city.”
While Ali and Alima grew up in Detroit, their father’s love for Black films began in Arkansas, where their grandparents ran a juke joint — an informal bar centered in Black culture and entertainment.
“At the time, you had Hollywood films, and then you had some African Americans and Black people that were making their own films. They had to self-distribute these films,” Ali says, adding, “These films were showing Black people in professional roles as doctors and lawyers, the same type of things you would see in the mainstream movies, but with us in it.”
A metro Detroit warehouse is packed with Black historical artifacts, which Ali and Alima are working to organize.
James’s fascination with Black media started at a young age, a passion which only grew after he and his family moved to Detroit during the Great Migration. By the time he passed away, James had filled three storage units, his basement, and various other spaces with his collection.
“My father had collected all these items, but they really weren’t organized in a manner that allows you to utilize it to its fullest potential,” Ali says. “We consolidated it into this warehouse right now, and now we’re going through the overwhelming process of archiving to understand what we have.”
Over the years, The James E. Wheeler Collection has been shown at institutions like The Chicago Museum of Science and Industry, The University of Texas, Harvard University, and the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.
Now, his children hope to expand its reach, making the collection accessible for public education, exhibitions, and research. Their goal is to partner with educators, students, filmmakers, libraries, and anyone else interested in preserving and promoting Black cultural history.
The siblings hope to share their father’s collection with the world through exhibitions at major museums, traveling displays, and digital platforms.
Detroit is just the starting point for The Black Canon’s vision.
The upcoming Art of the Ages event will feature The Black Canon’s first self-curated exhibit of artifacts from the 1910s through the 1990s, illustrating how Black media representation has evolved across decades and artistic mediums.
“We thought it was interesting, when you look at some of the album covers from decades ago, the Black artists weren’t even used in the photography or in the artwork,” Alima says. “They weren’t allowed to be on their own cover. They didn’t think it would be marketable if they were on the cover of the album.”
In addition to the exhibition, attendees can also enjoy silent auctions, brunch, a DJ, and a panel discussion featuring emerging Black artists across literature, film, and music. Motor City Cinema will also screen select films from the collection.
Following the event, Alima and Ali hope to expand the exhibit to larger spaces or even showcase it digitally.
“We’re really looking for the first domino to fall. We’re very flexible,” Alima says. “We’ll continue to build as the archive grows.”
The significance of The Black Canon Collection extends beyond the Wheeler family, however, representing an important contribution to Black cultural history.
James E. Wheeler was working to display his collection in Detroit’s former National Theatre, but the project never took off. The building was demolished in 2024.
In 1999, James planned to restore Detroit’s National Theatre as a place to show historic films, host film festivals, and display his collection, according to Historic Detroit. Though the plan never materialized and the theater was demolished in early 2024, his children continue to carry a similar torch.
“They actually sold him the National Theatre for like $1 to house the collection,” Ali says. “I’m not sure where everything went wrong after that point, but there was a point where they were going to look at this as ‘OK, we can have the city of Detroit house this.’”
He adds, “We’re rebranding, but we do have some of that same vision, and ideally, this could be a resource for all to enjoy.”
Down the road, a permanent gallery space to house the archive in its entirety would be ideal. For Alima and Ali, Art of the Ages represents just the first step toward broader recognition for their father’s collection.
“We would love the community to come out and support,” Alima says. “We would love to build our network as a result of investing in this exhibit and experience and we would love to have more support on sustaining the collection, whether that be through exhibits or through sponsors or donations.”
Looking ahead, the siblings are focused on completing the archiving process, creating a searchable database of the collection, developing partnerships, and securing funding to fully preserve the collection.
Their long-term hope is for The Black Canon Collection to become a resource for generations to come.
More information on The Black Canon and Art of the Ages can be found at black-canon.com.
DETROIT (AP) — A Detroit judge who was temporarily removed after ordering a teenager into jail clothes and handcuffs during a field trip is back on the bench but assigned to speeding tickets and other relatively minor offenses.
Judge Kenneth King lost courtroom duties in August and was ordered into social-emotional training by the chief judge at 36th District Court. Instead of handling key hearings in major felonies, he returned this week to the court’s traffic division.
“We appreciate his efforts in preparing for this role, and wish him success as he transitions into this new responsibility,” Judge William McConico said in a written statement.
King’s attorney, Todd Perkins, said the judge is willing to work anywhere at the court.
“He truly understands and wholeheartedly embraces the concept of teamwork,” Perkins said Thursday.
King got in trouble for singling out a 15-year-old girl for falling asleep and having what he considered to be a bad attitude while she was visiting his courtroom with other teens.
Can’t afford to contribute? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. We hope you’ll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
He ordered Eva Goodman into jail clothes and handcuffs — all while the field trip was on a livestream video. King also threatened her in front of her peers with juvenile detention before releasing her.
The girl’s mother, Latoreya Till, said she may have been tired because they don’t have a permanent address. King told TV stations that he apologized.
Till has filed a lawsuit, seeking more than $75,000 for “inflicting fear and severe emotional distress.”
Can’t afford to contribute? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. We hope you’ll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
In a series called Mondo Ironico, let us discuss how fucking antithetical something in pop culture is.
Detroit might have come a long way since the days of being called the “Murder Capital” (or just “Murder City”), but a little gentrification probably hasn’t gone far enough to throw a so-called Bridgerton Ball that was anything other than, well, jank. Although the organizers of the event, er, Uncle N Me LLC, positioned the would-be “elegant affair” as a chance to “step into the enchanting world of the Regency era” and enjoy “an evening of sophistication, grace and historical charm,” none of those descriptors could be used (at least not reasonably) to classify what went on the night of Sunday, September 22nd in Detroit.
And yes, what went on has already drawn numerous comparisons to Glasgow’s illustrious “Willy Wonka Experience”—which was more of a trauma than an experience for the children and parents who attended. Perhaps those who bought into the Detroit Bridgerton Themed Ball (note that the word “themed” is ultimately meant to read like fine print) at anywhere between one hundred fifty to one thousand dollars a head naively believed that, surely, something so atrocious and ghetto could never happen in the United States…which, despite many residents’ denial, just so happens to be the Earth’s capital of atrocities and ghettoness. Much as Detroit was once the U.S.’ murder capital, lately usurped by St. Louis and Baltimore.
Unfortunately for the attendees’ senses, the phrase “it can’t happen here” has never truly applied to America. And, thus, a scam-y, horrific presentation of what a Bridgerton Ball theoretically is (at least when it’s Netflix’s official The Queen’s Ball: A Bridgerton Experience) ensued. The images thus far unleashed from the so-called event still don’t quite outdo the “Willy Wonka Experience,” mainly because it seemed as though that event actually tried to put more effort in to pulling a fast one over those who were lured in and betrayed. First and foremost because the “organizer” of the event, Billy Coull, at least offered up some fantastical AI images to present “Willy’s Chocolate Experience” (so no, it wasn’t even called the “Willy Wonka Experience”) to his marks.
All the Detroit Bridgerton Themed Ball could offer was a picture of a real person holding a copy of Lady Whistledown (see below). Whoever that person was, she likely wasn’t in attendance to see a stripper standing in for what was supposed to be “Regency-era dance.” And, sure, Bridgerton might be known for mixing in contemporary elements (mainly musically), but it would be more than slightly far-fetched to imagine a stripper on the scene at one of Queen Charlotte’s balls (regardless of how sexually liberated the series is).
The lone, dubious image on the Detroit Bridgerton Themed Ball website
Nor would food and drink options be such a travesty on Queen Charlotte’s watch. As one attendee reported, “Food apparently ran out after an hour, and some was raw. No one was there to pick up plates, so you had to deal with strangers’ leftovers yourself.” This report included an image of a sad, empty table with an array of mangy-looking plates sporting pecked-at leftovers on them. Not exactly “high society.” Nor were the additionally pictured pair of “queen’s chairs” (or “royal”/“regal” ones, if you prefer) splayed out in front of two windows with a shitty view and “complemented” by some hastily strewn-about fake flowers and a red cloth, of sorts, with a rose pattern, which one supposes is meant to mimic a red carpet effect.
Alas, there are more regal red carpets at certain strip clubs. And yes, the attendees of the Detroit Bridgerton Themed Ball might have had a more elegant time at one of those venues than what they were subjected to at the Harmonie Club, which has a new reason to be part of the National Register of Historic Places thanks to this ultra-busted (non-)event.
Like the abovementioned Billy Coull, who organized the “immersive experience” through his House of Illuminati company (again, another red flag in terms of the name), Uncle N Me LLC also faced so much public vitriol that it released a public statement/apology that read: “We understand that not everyone had the experience they hoped for at our most recent event Sunday night at The Harmonie Club, and for that, we sincerely apologize. Our intention was to provide a magical evening, but we recognize that organizational challenges affected the enjoyment of some guests.” Let us pause here to note that they likely thought a stripper and some Kit Kats would be all the magic any true Detroit resident really needed, not taking into account the high expectations fortified by the city’s “bougie-fication” of late.
The statement then continued, “We take full responsibility and accountability for these shortcomings. Please know that we are working diligently to address all concerns [a.k.a. working diligently to not get slapped with a lawsuit] to ensure that all guests have the enjoyable experience they deserve…we are committed to doing everything in our power to make this right.”
But, as it was with “Willy’s Chocolate Experience” (a.k.a. the “Willy Wonka Experience”), the damage has already been done to those who suffered the awkward, highly disappointing plight. And they may never be able to watch a Bridgerton episode quite the same way again.
(CBS DETROIT) – Attendees of Sunday evening’s rescheduled “Bridgerton” ball at Harmonie Club in Detroit are airing their frustrations online, claiming the event didn’t live up to expectations.
Fans of the TV show “Bridgerton” already expressed some frustrations when the event was rescheduled from August to this past Sunday after the original venue, Castle Hall, canceled their contract with organizers due to safety concerns. Those who ended up attending the event at the Harmonie Club this weekend are calling it a “royal disaster.”
The event was originally planned to host 3,000 guests, with tickets ranging between $150 and $1,000. Unable to get a refund, many still attended the rescheduled event even if they were reluctant to do so.
“We didn’t actually get an email saying the event was canceled, so we actually showed up all dressed up and everything,” said Seana Schade, who attended the ball.
Schade said she only stayed for about an hour after seeing the reality of the event.
“Just because it was too hot and we obviously weren’t going to be getting any food or drinks,” she said.
Another attendee posted her immediate reaction to TikTok after the “ball” turned out to be a “bust.”
“Are we at the club or are we at a ball,” asked Nita Morton in her TikTok post.
Guests were promised live music, elegant backdrops and an immersion into the world of “Bridgerton.”
“This was the only person playing live music,” Morton said while showing a video of a single violinist. “There were three floors — three floors. I saw her maybe like twice throughout this whole time.
“Doesn’t this look like something your cousin had at her baby shower that they ran real quick to Family Dollar to get? Exactly.
“The caterers, look what they have on. And not to mention, these aren’t even the caterers. I don’t know where the caterers are.”
Adding to her disappointment, Morton says she spent an additional $600 on hair, makeup and her outfit.
“People spent hundreds of dollars, not just on their tickets, but on upkeep and making sure they look presentable for this ball themselves,” Morton said.
Morton said her requests for a refund are going unanswered as the promoters, Uncle N Me LLC, are staying true to their strict no-refund policy. She says she probably could have gotten into the venue without paying for one.
“They didn’t check my ticket,” she said. “They were not checking tickets. They allowed everyone to go in. I would rather keep all my money and throw it myself.
Morton said she estimates roughly half of the original 3,000 guests showed up, but like the case of Schade, many left quickly after realizing what they were really walking into.
CBS News Detroit reached out to Uncle N Me LLC and is awaiting a response.
Jack Springgate joins the CBS News Detroit team after working for nearly seven years as a news reporter and anchor in South Bend, Ind., and Minot, North Dakota.
Using a similar format to her former long-running talk show, Oprah Winfrey hosted a campaign event with Vice President Kamala Harris in suburban Detroit Thursday evening which featured a mix of celebrities, campaign organizers and a crowd of battleground state voters.
The event in Farmington Hills, Michigan — which had an in-person crowd of a few hundred and also featured virtual attendees — opened with talk of a “new day” and the sense of “joy” Democrats have associated with the Harris campaign. But the conversation later steered towards issues featuring personal, intimate stories of people impacted by state abortion bans and school shootings.
Vice President Kamala Harris and Oprah Winfrey at a campaign event in Farmington Hills, Michigan, on Sept. 19, 2024.
SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images
The parents of Natalie Griffith, a 15-year-old injured in the deadly Apalachee High School shooting earlier this month in Winder, Georgia, spoke. Griffith’s mother, Marilda, made an emotional plea for a “change to be made” to address gun violence. Her father, Doug — who noted that he was not a registered Democrat — called for metal detectors to be placed inside schools.
Harris did not explicitly say if she agreed with the call for metal detectors, but said “we just need to apply common sense.” She repeated her calls for an assault weapons ban and universal background checks. When Winfrey made note of Harris being a gun owner, as she revealed in prior campaigns and repeated in her debate with Trump, Harris said that “if somebody breaks into my house, they’re getting shot.”
“Sorry, probably should not have said that,” Harris joked. “My staff will deal with that later.”
The mother and sisters of Amber Thurman — a Georgia woman who died in 2022 after medical care was delayed due to the state’s abortion ban — also spoke for the first time publicly since the ProPublica report about Thurman was released.
“I’m beyond hurt, disappointed…we trusted them to take care of her, you know?” said CJ, Thurman’s sister. “And they just let her die because of some stupid abortion ban. They treated her like she was just another number.”
Harris called Thurman’s death “preventable,” and as she has throughout her campaign and vice presidency, blamed former President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court appointments for leading to the overturning of Roe v. Wade. She also criticized states with abortion restrictions but have exceptions “to save the life of the mother,” arguing it should not reach that point.
“So is she on death’s door before you actually decide to give her help, Is that what we’re saying?” Harris asked. “Like, literally, a doctor or a nurse has to say, ‘She might die any minute, better give her care.’”
Hadley Duvall, a Kentucky woman who was impregnated by her father at 12-years-old and was able to get an abortion, also spoke. Duvall had been featured in several of Harris’ campaign ads, and also spoke at the Democratic National Convention.
The event was livestreamed and conducted in an interview-style discussion similar to Winfrey’s old talk show. It was billed as a way to bring together many pro-Harris coalitions, including “Win with Black Women,” “White Dudes for Harris” and “Swifties for Harris.”
All are groups that have been holding Zoom conference calls to raise money for Harris’ campaign and mobilize voters. Harris campaign advisers saw the event as a way to reach persuadable voters, and Winfrey often structured her questions to be geared towards undecided voters.
Several celebrities also appeared by video, including Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, Jennifer Lopez, Julie Roberts, Tracee Ellis Ross, Bryan Cranston and Meryl Streep.
Earlier Thursday, Republican National Committee Chair Michael Whatley panned the event, saying in a statement that Harris was campaigning with “an out-of-touch celebrity, further confirming that the Democrat party is not the party of hardworking Americans – it is the party of elitists.”
Streep asked Harris what her plan would be if she wins in November and there is another push to try and overturn the election results, as Trump and some Republicans are criminally charged with allegedly doing in 2020.
“We will be ready,” Harris said, pointing to Republicans disaffected by the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection that may vote for her. “To try and upend a free and fair election where the American people voted, that was a bridge too far for a lot of people…I think there is absolutely no tolerance whatsoever from the vast majority of Americans for that, and they’ve seen the lies.”
Harris made a quick reference to her campaign’s legal team, and pleaded for the audience to help curb misinformation and support poll workers.
Winfrey, an independent who has endorsed Harris and spoke at the DNC last month, closed the program with a call to undecided voters to choose Harris.
“This is the moment for people who are tired of all of the bickering and all of the name calling, people who are exhausted by the craziness and the made up stories and the conspiracies. This is the moment you want to get on with your life, because you know that we can do better and that we deserve better.”
Aaron Navarro is a CBS News digital reporter covering the 2024 elections. He was previously an associate producer for the CBS News political unit in the 2021 and 2022 election cycles.
Mark Craighead (left) and Lamarr Monson were both exonerated of murder.
Two men who were exonerated of murder implored Detroit police on Thursday to investigate a former homicide detective who is accused of two decades of misconduct that led to false confessions and wrongful imprisonment.
Mark Craighead, who spent more than seven years in prison after falsely confessing to murder in June 2000, alleges retired Detective Barbara Simon engaged in a pattern of criminal wrongdoing by committing perjury, illegally detaining suspects for long periods without a warrant, and assaulting and threatening witnesses.
“We missed out on so much time with our families, and she’s still walking the streets and collecting a pension. She’s still free,” Craighead said in a news conference outside Detroit Public Safety Headquarters. “We’re demanding accountability. We want her arrested.”
Craighead was joined by former Detroit Police Commissioner Reginald Crawford and Lamarr Monson, who spent 20 years in prison for a murder he didn’t commit. Monson blames Simon for bungling the investigation in 1996.
Crawford said everyone who was complicit in the wrongful convictions needs to pay a price.
“They need to say to the world and to the media, ‘These are the people responsible for the wrongful convictions. They will be held accountable,’” Crawford said.
Chris Stanislawski didn’t read much in his middle school English classes, but it never felt necessary. Students were given detailed chapter summaries for every novel they discussed, and teachers played audio of the books during class.
Much of the reading material at Garden City Middle School in Long Island was either abridged books, or online texts and printouts, he said.
“When you’re given a summary of the book telling you what you’re about to read in baby form, it kind of just ruins the whole story for you,” said Chris, 14. “Like, what’s the point of actually reading?”
In many English classrooms across America, assignments to read full-length novels are becoming less common. Some teachers focus instead on selected passages — a concession to perceptions of shorter attention spans, pressure to prepare for standardized tests and a sense that short-form content will prepare students for the modern, digital world.
The National Council of Teachers of English acknowledged the shift in a 2022 statement on media education, saying: “The time has come to decenter book reading and essay-writing as the pinnacles of English language arts education.”
The idea is not to remove books but to teach media literacy and add other texts that feel relevant to students, said Seth French, one of the statement’s co-authors. In the English class he taught before becoming a dean last year at Bentonville High School in Arkansas, students engaged with plays, poetry and articles but read just one book together as a class.
“At the end of the day, a lot of our students are not interested in some of these texts that they didn’t have a choice in,” he said.
The emphasis on shorter, digital texts does not sit well with everyone.
Deep reading is essential to strengthen circuits in the brain tied to critical thinking skills, background knowledge — and, most of all, empathy, said Maryanne Wolf, a cognitive neuroscientist at UCLA specializing in dyslexia research.
“We must give our young an opportunity to understand who others are, not through little snapshots, but through immersion into the lives and thoughts and feelings of others,” Wolf said.
At Garden City Middle School, students are required to read several books in their entirety each year, including “Of Mice and Men” and “Romeo and Juliet,” Principal Matthew Samuelson said. Audio versions and summaries are provided as extra resources, he said.
For Chris, who has dyslexia, the audio didn’t make the reading feel more accessible. He just felt bored. He switched this fall to a Catholic school, which his mother feels will prepare him better for college.
Even outside school, students are reading less
There’s little data on how many books are assigned by schools. But in general, students are reading less. Federal data from last year shows only 14% of young teens say they read for fun daily, compared with 27% in 2012.
Teachers say the slide has its roots in the COVID-19 crisis.
“There was a trend, it happened when COVID hit, to stop reading full-length novels because students were in trauma; we were in a pandemic. The problem is we haven’t quite come back from that,” said Kristy Acevedo, who teaches English at a vocational high school in New Bedford, Massachusetts.
This year, she said she won’t accept that students are too distracted to read. She plans to teach time-management strategies and to use only paper and pencils for most of class time.
Other teachers say the trend stems from standardized testing and the influence of education technology. Digital platforms can deliver a complete English curriculum, with thousands of short passages aligned to state standards — all without having to assign an actual book.
“If admins and school districts are judged by their test scores, how are they going to improve their test scores? They’re going to mirror the test as much as possible,” said Karl Ubelhoer, a middle school special education teacher in Tabernacle, New Jersey.
For some students, it’s a struggle to read at all. Only around a third of fourth and eighth graders reached reading proficiency in the 2022 National Assessment of Educational Progress, down significantly from 2019.
Leah van Belle, executive director of the Detroit literacy coalition 313Reads, said when her son read “Peter Pan” in late elementary school, it was too hard for most kids in the class. She laments that Detroit feels like “a book desert.” Her son’s school doesn’t even have a library.
Still, she said it makes sense for English classes to focus on shorter texts.
“As an adult, if I want to learn about a topic and research it, be it personal or professional, I’m using interactive digital text to do that,” she said.
Teachers fit books in with other ‘spinning plates’
Even in well-resourced schools, one thing is always in short supply: time.
Terri White, a teacher at South Windsor High School in Connecticut, no longer makes her honors ninth-grade English class read all of “To Kill a Mockingbird.” She assigns about a third of the book and a synopsis of the rest. They have to move on quickly because of pressure for teachers to cram more into the curriculum, she said.
“It’s like spinning plates, you know what I mean? Like it’s a circus,” she said.
She also assigns less homework because kids’ schedules are so packed with sports, clubs and other activities.
“I maintain rigor. But I’m more about helping students become stronger and more critical readers, writers and thinkers, while taking their social-emotional well-being into account,” she said.
In the long run, the synopsis approach harms students’ critical thinking skills, said Alden Jones, a literature professor at Emerson College in Boston. She assigns fewer books than she once did and gives more quizzes to make sure students do the reading.
“We don’t value the thinking time that we used to have. It’s all time we could be on our phone accomplishing tasks,” she said.
Will Higgins, an English teacher at Dartmouth High School in Massachusetts, said he still believes in teaching the classics, but demands on students’ time have made it necessary to cut back.
“We haven’t given up on ‘Jane Eyre’ and ‘Pride and Prejudice.’ We haven’t given up on ‘Hamlet’ or ‘The Great Gatsby,’″ Higgins said. But he said they have given up assigning others like “A Tale of Two Cities.”
His school has had success encouraging reading through student-directed book clubs, where small groups pick a book and discuss it together. Contemporary authors like John Green and Jason Reynolds have been a big hit.
“It’s funny,” he said. “Many students are saying that it’s the first time in a long time they’ve read a full book.”
___
The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has been spreading false claims that an image of thousands of people waiting at Detroit’s airport as Democrat Kamala Harris arrived for a campaign rally was fabricated with the help of artificial intelligence.
Reporters, photographers and video journalists representing The Associated Press and other news organizations who either traveled with Vice President Harris or were on the airport tarmac documented the crowd size last Wednesday as she arrived on Air Force Two. Harris’ campaign also denied the photo in question was manipulated and posted about it on social media.
Fifteen thousand people attended the Detroit airport rally, Harris’ campaign said. Harris and Walz spoke from inside a hangar where people were packed in. The crowd also spilled out onto the tarmac. The Wayne County Airport Authority, which oversees the airport, referred questions about the size of the crowd to Harris’ campaign.
Thousands of people have been showing up at her campaign rallies.
By the Harris campaign’s count, 12,000 people turned out for rallies in Philadelphia and Eau Claire, Wisconsin, last week, followed by 15,000 in Glendale, Arizona. In Las Vegas on Saturday, more than 12,000 people were inside a university arena when law enforcement halted admission because people were getting ill waiting outside in the extreme 109-degree heat. About 4,000 people were waiting in line when the doors were closed.
An Associated Press reporter who covered the Harris events in Wisconsin, Michigan, Arizona and Nevada, witnessed the throngs of people in attendance.
Trump pushed his false claims in back-to-back posts on his social media site on Sunday.
“Has anyone noticed that Kamala CHEATED at the airport? There was nobody at the plane, and she ‘A.I.’d’ it, and showed a massive ‘crowd’ of so-called followers, BUT THEY DIDN’T EXIST!.” he wrote. He included a post from another individual who made similar allegations about photo manipulation.
A minute later Trump posted, “Look, we caught her with a fake ‘crowd.’ There was nobody there!” He included a photo of the crowd that was partly shaded and partly exposed to the sun.
Harris’ campaign confirmed on Monday that the photo being questioned was taken by a staff member and was not in any way modified using AI.
Hany Farid, a University of California, Berkeley, professor who focuses on digital forensics and misinformation, analyzed the photo using two models trained to detect patterns of generative AI and found no evidence of manipulation. The models were developed by GetReal Labs, a company Farid co-founded.
Farid, responding Monday in an email, said he compared several versions of the photo and the only alteration he detected was some simple change to brightness or contrast, and perhaps sharpening. He said many other images and videos from the event last Wednesday show the same basic scene.
Trump started pushing false theories about the Harris campaign photo a few days after he held a news conference at his Florida estate on Thursday and was asked about the crowds at his Democratic rival’s rallies. Trump said no one draws crowds as big as he does.
“I’ve spoken to the biggest crowds. Nobody’s spoken to crowds bigger than me,” Trump claimed at the news conference, his first since Harris became the Democratic presidential nominee.
What to know about the 2024 Election
He went on to falsely compare the crowd at his speech in front of the White House on Jan. 6, 2021, to the crowd at Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech on Aug. 28, 1963, at the Lincoln Memorial.
But King drew far more people. Approximately 250,000 people attended the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, at which King gave his speech, according to the National Park Service. The Associated Press reported in 2021 that there were at least 10,000 people at Trump’s address.
Some of Trump’s top advisers and supporters have been urging the former president to focus his criticisms on Harris’ policies and talk more about the border and the economy.
“Stop questioning the size of her crowds,” was the advice former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., offered during a Fox News appearance on Monday.
The Harris campaign needled Trump on a variety of issues in an email Monday titled “9 Days Since Trump’s Last Swing State Event.” The note included a bullet point that said, “he’s very mad about crowd sizes, claiming it’s all fake and AI-generated. (Maybe if he campaigned he’d get crowds too?)”
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 28: Jared Goff #16 of the Detroit Lions prepares to run onto the field with teammates prior to a game against the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game at Levi’s Stadium on January 28, 2024 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
ESPN Predicts Lions Super Bowl Win Lions. Super Bowl. Feels weird even saying it, right? ESPN has done their 2024 NFL season sim and guess what – they’ve got Detroit enjoying their first Lions Super Bowl appearance (there’s a twist to this one though) And winning. Deep breath. Here’s what they’ve got….again, there’s a twist.
Lions Super Bowl – ESPN
Remember the Avengers where Doctor Strange went through millions of simulations of what would happen with the Infinity Stones? And only one of them was the outcome that would make it right? Well – Seth Wadler from ESPN Analytics did thousands of simulations of the 2024 NFL season and wrote an article based on one of them (sim #515 if you’re keeping track). What did he predict? Lions Super Bowl. Here’s a couple of other notes from the simulation:
Lions finish the season 13-4, beating the Bears and then the 49ers to reach the Super Bowl against Kansas City.
In the Super Bowl, Detroit winds up down 28-14 in the 4th quarter before storming back with a late TD pass to Kalif Raymond and Dan Campbell going for two (obviously). The defense holds and Detroit wins 29-28.
Don’t Freak Out
Dan Miller has told us time and again, this is NOT the same old Lions and Detroit fans need to get past it. We’ve got a loaded team here in the Motor City and between Sports Illustrated picking the Lions, and now this prediction of a Lions Super Bowl for Detroit – this is going to be fun. Stressful? Absolutely. How often do Lions fans have REAL hope going into a season…and not just for a winning record, but to take the whole thing. Here’s what I know:
The offense is the most balanced in football. Best offensive line in the game, two great running backs (Gibbs will be a pro bowler this year), great wide receivers and tight ends. There might be flashier offenses in the league – but none can match Detroit on balance.
The defense is VASTLY improved, and if the pass rush stays healthy (watch out for Davenport and DJ Reader), plus the huge upgrades in the secondary – the sky’s the limit for the defense…also, keep an eye on Jack Campbell – linebackers have a way of REALLY figuring it out in the second year.
Dan Campbell is a better coach. He’s learning on the job and is going to show it this year in big games.
This team has everything you need to win the Super Bowl. And the most dominant fan base in the NFL doesn’t hurt. So yeah, it’s okay to say “Lions Super Bowl”. Enjoy the ride. We’ve earned it Detroit.
Jim O’Brien is the Host of “Big Jim’s House” Morning Show at 94.7 WCSX in Detroit. Jim spent eight years in the U.S. Naval Submarine Service, has appeared on Shark Tank (Man Medals Season 5 Ep. 2), raised over two million dollars for local charities and is responsible for Glenn Frey Drive and Bob Seger Blvd in the Motor City. Jim’s relationship with Classic Rock includes considering Bob Seger, Phil Collen from Def Leppard, Wally Palmer of the Romantics and many others good friends. Jim writes about ‘80s movies, cars, weird food trends and “as seen on TikTok” content.
